Gear mechanism for laundry machines



W. BARTHOLOMEW. GEAR MECHANISM FOR LAUNDRY MACHINES.

APPLICAT N FILED CT 11 19 msww. Patentedsepr- 26,1922.

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GEAR MECHANISM FOR LAUNDRY MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 11, I919.

Patented Sept. 26, 1922 2 SHEETSSHEET 2- ru n "MIN

Patented Sept. 26, 1922.

UNITED STATES rarer-r1" MACHINERY COMPANY, LTD 013 YORK.

GEAR MECHANISM FOR LAUNDRY'MACHINES.

Application filed October 11, 1919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM BARTHOL- OMEW, a citizen of the United States, resid-- ing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gear Mechanism for Laundry Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to gear mechanism for laundry machines, such as washers and dry room tumblers.

One object of the invention is to support caring for washers and dry room tumblers in a simple and eflicient manner to'facilitate the operation of associated parts.

Another object is to provide simple and novel adjustable bracket means for adjustably. supporting drum operating mechanism in a manner tomeet the various requirements for commercial operation.

These and other objects are accomplished by means of the arrangement disclosed on the accompanying sheets of drawings, in which-- 'Figure 1 is an end view of a rotating type of washing machine embodying my invention; v

F igure2 is a fragmentary front elevation of my novel gear supporting mechanism;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the same; and

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken in the plane of line 1-4L of Figure 2.

The various novel features of the invention will be apparent from the description and the drawings and will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims. v

Referring to the figures of the drawings, it will be noted that I have disclosed my inventionin-connection with a rotary type of washing machine, in which the outer stationary casing 10 is supported by legs 11, it being understood that mounted within this casing is a rotary drum mounted upon a shaft or pair of trunnions 12. Mounted upon the shaft 12 is a main gear 13 for transmitting rotary movement to the drum, said gear being driven by a smaller gear 14 mounted upon a shaft 15, which also carries a pulley 16 receiving driving action from any suitable source.

As is well known in the art, at the time it is desired to place clothes into the masuccessful CHICAGO ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF Serial No. 330,118.

chine for treatment and to withdraw clothes therefrom, it is necessary to bring the door of the rotating member or drum into regis ter with the door of the stationary outer casing. In view of the fact that the rotary member is driven by a motor,'it is not always an easy matter to accurately position the door of the drum opposite the door of the casing. Accordingly, hand operative mechanism has been provided for adjusting the position of the rotary member or drum so that the door of the latter may be moved into exact registry with the door of the case ing for the purposes mentioned hereinabove.

To this end, a worm 17 is provided, which meshes with the gear 13, said worm being carried upon a shaft 18, to one end of which is secured a hand wheel 19, whereby the gears and accordingly the rotary mem ber maybe actuated any desired amount. The shaft 18 is mounted in bearings 20, forming a part of a slide member 21 verticallyslidably mounted in a bracket member 22; This slide 21 is moved vertically up and down in the bracket member 22 by any suitable eccentric member 23, forming no part of this invention. Suffice it to say that parts of the eccentric mechanism are associated with the slide 21 and also with the bracket member 22,. whereby relative anism is moved to the left, as viewed in Figures 1 and 2, the slide is caused to rise for moving the worm 17 out of mesh with the driving gear 18. Normally the worm 17 and gear 18 are out of mesh with each other to permit driving of the gear 13, and therefore the drum of the machine, by n10- tor. However, when it is desired to move the drum for bringing its door into registry with the door of the casing, the eccentric mechanism is placed in the position shown in Figures 1 and 2, so that the slide will be in its downward position, whereby the worm'17 will be in mesh with the geari13. In such position, the hand wheel 19 may be operated to actuate the drum any de sired amount. I M

It will be understood that the slidemember 21 and bracket 22 are held into engagement with each other by a bolt and nutarrangement 25, there beinga slot 26 either in the slide member 21 or the bracket member 22 to permit relative vertical movement between said slide and bracket member.

The bracket member 22 is supported by a stationary bracket 27, which is secured to the end wall 28 of the machine. interposed between the bracket members 22 and 27 are a plurality of pins 29, which act as bearings between said bracket members, the pins 29 being received by correspondingly grooved or drilled portions in said bracket members. Originally in casting the bracket members 22 and 27, the same may be formed integrally, there being small web portions at the points where the drilled openings are formed for the pins 29.

It will be understood that after the drilled holes are cut in the web portions between the brackets 22 and 27, said bracket members will be broken apart. It has been found that the end wall 28 of the casing 10 sometimes warps considerably. greatly affecting the meshing relationship between the worm 17 and gear 13, causing a cramped condition between the gears and an improper driving action therebetween. Accordingly, to overcome this undesirable feature, the bracket member 22 is made laterally adjustable with respect to the bracket member 27, the former being adjustable laterally upon the pins 29. To permit such lateral adjustment, the stationary bracket member 27 is provided with an elongated opening 30, through which extends a stud 31. which threads into the bracket member 22. By means of this arrangement, the laterally adjustable bracket member 22 may be secured in any adjustable position. Also by means of his lateral adjustment of the bracket member 22, the meshing relationship between the worm 17 and gear 13 may be corrected, if necessary,

and maintained for proper driving conditions.

It is my intention to cover all modifications of the invention falling within the spirit andscope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In laundry machinery of the class described, the combination of a gear operatively associated with the operating shaft of the machine, a gear member movable into and out of mesh therewith, and a bracket member in which said gear member 'is movably mounted, said bracket member beingadjustable for correcting the meshing relationship of said gear and gear member.

2. In laundry machinery ofthe class described the combination of a gear operatively associated with the operating shaft of the machine, a gear member operatively associated therewith, and a bracket member in which said gear member is movably mounted, said bracket member being laterally adjustable with respect to the end wall of the machine for correcting the meshing relationship of said gear and gear member.

In laundry machinery of the class described, the combination of two associated gears whereby doors in the stationary casing and rotary drum of the machine may be brought into registry, a stationary bracket member secured to the end wall of the machine, a bracket laterally adjustable thereon and a slide carried by said laterallyadjust able bracket for moving said gears into and out of mesh with each other, said laterally movable bracket member being movable to correct the meshing relationship between said gears. 

